How You Fold Your Shirt Reveals A Lot About Who You Are As A Person

It's an age-old debate that we've never really found the answer to—the right way to fold your shirt. After all, there are so many ways to do it, whether you like to fold it like a department store does, roll it up like the military, store it like organizational guru Marie Kondo, or keep things traditional with a vertical then horizontal fold.

But now, thanks to our personality pro Patti Wood—who's already helped us learn more about ourselves based on how we put on our bras and how we like to enjoy a slice of pizza—we've finally realized that, once again, how we perform little habits like folding laundry can tell people a lot about us without ever saying a word. It's all based on the DISC method, or four common categories of personalities that people usually fall into (though it's not uncommon to identify with more than one category, either). And while something like folding our clothes can just be a skill that we picked up from our parents and followed the same way they always did it, it could be hinting at more. So find which method suits you best below, and see if you agree with what it has to say about you.

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You Fold the Shirt Into A Perfect Rectangle

Sarah Baugh

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Slow and steady wins your race, so there's no rush for you to finish the laundry and move on to the next task. If that sounds like you, it's likely that you're a supporter, and you'd rather be patient and methodical with your shirt-folding, leaving little-to-no room for change in your routine. So this method, which Marie Kondo and her devoted followers use when organizing millions of homes around the world, has likely been your favorite for years. Supporters don't like to leave things unfinished, and they definitely don't like change, so if mom always used Tide, that's your go-to, too. If laundry day was every Sunday, it's the same for you. And since you love providing the helping hand for anyone in need, you're likely the one doing laundry for everyone else. Taking care of it for your friends may be a bit of a stretch, but we won't be surprised if the hubs and kids haven't exactly become well-versed in where the detergent gets dumped, either.

You Fold the Sleeves Under First, Then Fold Shirt Horizontally

Sarah Baugh

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If you like to copy the method most department stores use (or maybe you even worked at one, so it's ingrained in your brain), you're likely a careful corrector. Why? If it's good enough for the pros, then it's good enough for you because it basically guarantees neat, wrinkle-free clothes in a pretty display—just the way you like your home to be. It's not surprising if you send your clothes out to get pressed, too, so that it comes back nice and crisp. If you do it yourself, though, and find yourself without enough time to get all the folding done correctly, you're likely to skip it altogether because anything less than perfection won't work. "My sister is a careful corrector, and if she doesn't have time to fold her clothes, she puts them in the dryer and leaves them there until she puts them on, not even bothering to put them in drawers," says Wood. "It soothes her because if she doesn't put it in her drawers the correct way [for her], then it really bothers her." In other words, save yourself some anxiety and make sure there's plenty of time blocked off on laundry day.

You Fold Your Shirt in Half Vertically, Then Horizontally

Sarah Baugh

Consider this the most haphazard folding method, compared to the others, and it fits influencers. You're not the most organized bunch, and that pile of laundry might build to its limit before you decide to toss it in the washer. You get excited about the new laundry gadgets and tools (infomercials are your jam), and if you have a roommate—or, you know, a husband—you'll try to convince him to have a folding party so you don't have to do the chore alone. Not to mention you need him around to help you stay on task, as you easily get distracted by the next exciting thing to pop up in your day.

You Roll the Shirt

Sarah Baugh

Go ahead and call this the get-it-done technique, as it's fast and efficient, and helps prevent wrinkles (that's why you roll your clothes when making space in your suitcase). Those who like to follow this method tend to be drivers because in their minds, there's no time to waste—especially on laundry. If that sounds like you, you're also not all that meticulous about how the laundry gets done, so long as it's done quickly and efficiently. Whether that means sending it out to the dry cleaners so it's off your plate, or setting aside a few hours so it's all done in one day and you don't have to worry about it anymore just depends on your mood—and how much work you're willing to put in.